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Higher Education Needs To Be More Affordable For Africa To Grow

Founder of UNICAF, Dr Nicos Nicolaou, has said that it is imperative that higher education becomes a more affordable option to enable the continent to create a strong, well-qualified workforce to meet the needs of its growing economy.

Nicolaou made this known as he commented on the recent opening of UNICAF University in Malawi which aims to become the leading higher education institution in sub-Saharan Africa, recognised for its outstanding contribution to teaching, learning and research.

“Seven out of ten African firms surveyed by Ernst and Young, global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services, are recruiting to support planned growth yet vacancies are taking longer to fill and employee turnover is high. The consultancy also reported that Africa has the fastest-growing middle-class in the world, accounting for nine of the 15 fastest growing economies in the world.

“If Africa is to maintain its lead, it is imperative that higher education becomes a more affordable option enabling the continent to create a strong, well-qualified workforce to meet the needs of its growing economy.”

With plans to enrol 60,000 students by the year 2020, UNICAF has awarded more than $35m worth of scholarships and cut the cost of attending university for thousands of sub-Saharan transnational students by up to 80%, making higher education, something that has been out of reach for the vast majority of the population, a viable and very real option.